How is this story any better than what the TV news is doing? You're there too, invading this family's privacy for the sake of a few extra page views online. Using phrases like "gut-wrenching sobs" to get a reader's emotional attention is just as sensational as the TV reports jumping on the news that blood was found.

This is heartbreaking. I simply do not understand why a local franchise/family business that prizes LOCAL businesses would close one of the most storied - and successful - local restaurants in favor of a national franchise restaurant! If an "update" was all you needed, surely that could have been done while preserving the 1913 Room entity.

Yes, grbrit, exactly. It's important to note that the college was open to booking the band. Unfortunately, they are bowing to pressure from - I'd guess - upset donors, which makes me furious as an alum.

I'd like to make a small note that Cory's name is spelled without an 'e' in it. This is something I've noticed the Press consistently get wrong when reporting on his ventures over the past year.
Thanks,
A friend :-)

I'm willing to bet the reason for the "apparently exclusive Twitter audience" was the fact that the gathering was held during normal business hours, when most people cannot be away from work. Please, if you really want to hear from the community and not other local media folk, hold another one of these meetings after 5 p.m. and see what happens. It seems like the responsible thing to do, if you really want *community* input.

With all due respect, this is not a story. Yes, I heard the segment. It was funny, but nothing out of the ordinary for Free Beer and Hot Wings. If you were a regular listener to their show, you'd know that they mention other radio shows ALL THE TIME - both local shows (Puddin, for example) and national shows (Bob & Tom, for example). "Radio wars?" Please.

Maybe anybody could have thought of this. But only one person has ever actually made it happen, and brought thousands of people together to enjoy our city on a day where crickets usually rule the downtown streets. Kudos to Bliss for this one.

Here's another vote for Emily Linnert. I am constantly impressed by her professionalism and able to effectively tell both fluffy and gut-wrenching reports.

This poll was flawed from the start in that it defines the parameters as "local news broadcaster," yet does not include every single West MI on-air personality. What was the Press trying to accomplish here? Oh, that's right, more Internet page views. As for the writer being handed this task by someone "up top," I suppose that's what one could expect when moving to an online-only division of the newspaper. Page views trump real news.

I don't want to sound negative, but this is not new to Grand Rapids and Ms. Braman did not pioneer the trend here. I know of several local photographers who have been offering such sessions for a few years now.